Digital Video Guide
Like their counterpart, digital still cameras, digital video cameras represent a huge advance over their film predecessors. They have better image quality, many more features, they are smaller and lighter, and they cost less. The following brief tutorial discusses choosing a camera, operation of digital video cameras, and how to take professional looking video.
Digital Video Camera Operation
Choosing a Digital Video Camera
Video cameras come with several different recording formats including DV, VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS, 8mm, Digital8, and Hi8. These are all digital cameras, but this discussion will be directed toward the DV (Digital Video) format. This is the newest format, and it offers significant improvements over all of the older formats. If you are serious about producing digital video that can be transferred over the internet or viewed from the internet, then DV is your format of choice. If you have another format, it is time to get a new camera. The newest cameras using the DV format are called mini-DV. These cameras use a much smaller cassette size and have better video quality than any of their predecessors. Even a camera that fits in the palm of the hand is capable of taking video of good quality. Some other important factors when choosing a video camera are:
- Lens
As with any type of camera, probably the most important part of a video camera is the lens. Unlike the case with still cameras with interchangeable lenses, with all consumer priced video cameras, you are stuck with the lense that comes with the camera since it is not interchangeable. This makes it especially important to get a camera with a good lens. A great camera with a crummy lens is a crummy camera. Get the camera with the best lens you can afford. You might want to get a camera with a Wide Angle adaptor to get the bigger picture.
- Image Sensor
The resolution and size of the image sensor or CCD is another important factor. Cameras with low image sensor resolution (measured in megapixels mp), particularly those with 1 megapixel or less produce grainy looking video. If you are planning to do commercial work or quality amateur work, you need the best resolution you can afford. The size of the image sensor is also important because a larger size sensor allows filming in dim light. Look for a camera with a Lux (measure of light intensity) rating of 3 or lower for work indoors or in dim light. Higher end video cameras for semi-professional or professional work come with three CCD's one for each primary color (R,G,B).
Features and Controls - Most all newer video cameras come with some type of zoom which allows you to vary the "closeness" of the subject. There are two types of zoom, digital and optical. Forget about the digital zoom and base your decision only on the optical zoom. Zoom obtained by digital processing is of much lower quality than true optical zoom.
- Make sure that the camera has a
IEEE 1394 port (also called Firewire or i-Link). Otherwise you will not be able to download video from your camera to the computer. You will need a IEEE 1394 cable, and if your computer does not have a IEEE 1394 port, you will need to buy a PCMCIA adapter card.
- An analog line in is something you will need to transfer video from other sources such as old videos to your camera to convert to digital format.
- Get a camera with a remote control or at least a self-timer if you wish to star in your own video.
- Make sure the camera has Image Stabilization. This corrects for the shake and hand movements that the camera is subjected to as you film.
Digital Video Camera Operation
This section applies only to consumer level video cameras and is directed toward new users. It does not cover taking still pictures, because you are much better of buying a still camera for still pictures. Use a video camera for a still shot only when you encounter a must shoot opportunity and have left your still camera at home. There is one exception to this however. Some video cameras have a feature that allows you to snap a still picture during the recording of a video. This photo can be used to make a thumbnail that links to the video. This is very useful for video to be made available on the internet or sent by email, or as a link to the video in your personal video gallery.
Most all consumer digital video cameras have several scene modes for which the camera automatically adjusts the settings. These scene modes might include:
-
Night Mode
Tweaks the exposure settings to allow filming in low light.
- Sports
Increases the shutter speed to capture fast moving people and objects.
- Portrait
Decreases the depth of field to produce a blurry or fuzzy background and foreground.
- Spotlight
Adjusts the esposure and shutter speed for filming bright moving scenes such as fireworks at night.
-
Sand or Snow
Adjusts light metering and exposure to prevent underexposure of the subject when the background is bright such as sand or snow.
For a consumer level video camera, the number of settings that can be adjusted manually is very limited. Manually adjustable settings might include:
- Focus
The camera may allow manual focusing.
- Exposure
Exposure determines how light or dark the video is. The camera may have some means of adjusting the exposure to darker or lighter to adjust for difficult lighting conditions.
- Shutter speed
The shutter speed may be adjusted to faster to capture fast moving objects, or slower if more light is required.
- White Balance
You can change the shade that represents white to the camera with this setting to compensate for artificial lighting conditions.
- Frame Rate
The camera may allow you to shoot in time lapse or slow motion by varying the frame rate.
Your camera may have a handy mode that allows you to set any of the settings you wish manually, and automatically adjusts those parameters that you do not choose to set.
Filming Tips
Professional looking video may be a bit of a stretch for a newbie with a consumer camera, but these tips can help you produce the best looking video possible with the equipment that you have.
Video, like still photography, is subject to the rules of picture composition such as framing a choice of background. You might want to read the section of the Digital Photography Guide entitled Composing the Shot.
Generally, you will want to get closer to the subject, either by physically moving closer or by zooming in, when filming video than you would when taking still photographs. Filming distances fall into the following five categories:
- Extreme Closeup Shots
Very small objects or small portions of large objects can be photographed with an extreme closeup shot.
- Closeup Shots
A closeup shot fills a frame with the most important aspect of a scene. The closeup should include only the action of primary interest. Close-ups give the audience a detailed view of the most important part or action within a scene. Close-ups help to build audience interest in the scene.
- Medium Range Shots
In a medium range shot, zoom is used to bring the main element of the scene into full frame or near full-frame size. A medium shot tends emphasize the center of interest for the audience. In an medium range shot, subjects are usually shown from the waist up.
- Long Range Shots
A long range shot shows the entire area where the action is taking place. This can be used to give viewers the "big picture" of the scene, showing the location of its various elements. It establishes where the action is taking place. The entrances, exits, and movements within a scene of the subject should normally be shown with a long range shot when their locations in the scene are important.
- Extreme Long Range Shots
An extreme long range shot can be used to portray a vast area from an apparently very long distance. It is used to impress the viewer with the immense scope of the setting or scene. These shots are normally taken from a high vantage point, such as a tall building, hilltop, or an airplane.
Use high and low camera angles with caution. High angles tend to shorten the legs of a person, and low angles may distort the body and face of the subject.
The first step in editing video, beyond the editing that can be done by the camera, is to download the video to a computer. To accomplish this, you wil need a IEEE 1394 or Firewire cable. You will also need software on the computer capable of capturing the transmitted video. Turn on the camera (usually in veview mode), and start the program that will receive the video. Connect the cable between the camera and the IEEE 1394 port of the computer. If your computer does not have a IEEE 1394 port, you can add one by purchasing a pcmcia card. The computer may prompt you as soon as the connection is made asking if you want to capture the video with Windows Movie Maker or some other program. Consult your program's instructions for how to download (capture) the video.
Video editing software runs the gamut of prices from free to costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Before spending a lot of money on expensive, complex software packages like the professionals use, such as Adobe Premiere or Pinnacle Studio, it is suggested that you learn some of the basics with a free or less expensive program. If your operating system is Windows XP, you already have an editor that is surprisingly powerful for its price; free. It is called Windows Movie Maker, and it can be found by opening the "Start" menu, then opening "All Programs", then clicking on "Accessories", Then on "Entertainment". You will see it listed.
Some of the many things that can be done even with Windows Movie Maker include: Trimming, combining and, splicing of clips, adding special effects, adding transitions, splash screens and title pages, blurring, sharpening, darkening, lightening, and much more.
Most video editors have a similar scheme using a "story board" or "timeline" to which you can add or delete frames, or change the sequence in which the frames are displayed. Each editor has its own commands and usage. Consult the instructions for your software.